The delta variant of the novel coronavirus has become the dominant strain in the United States, creating an uptick of cases in regions across the country. But experts have a simple fix to protect yourself against the delta variant.
How to stay safe from the delta variant
Experts at Yale Medicine said the most important (and easy) way to stay safe from the delta variant is to get vaccinated against COVID-19. That means getting either the two-dose Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, or the one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
- “Like everything in life, this is an ongoing risk assessment,” Dr. Inci Yildirim, a Yale Medicine pediatric infectious diseases specialist and a vaccinologist, told Yale Medicine. “If it is sunny and you’ll be outdoors, you put on sunscreen. If you are in a crowded gathering, potentially with unvaccinated people, you put your mask on and keep social distancing. If you are unvaccinated and eligible for the vaccine, the best thing you can do is to get vaccinated.”
Yildirim told Yale Medicine that people should consult with their doctors about the vaccine if they are unsure about getting it.
- “When there are local outbreaks, vaccine rates go up,” Wilson said. “We know that if someone you know gets really sick and goes to the hospital, it can change your risk calculus a little bit. That could start happening more. I’m hopeful we see vaccine rates go up.”
Can vaccinated people get the delta variant?
Yes, but so far the COVID-19 vaccines appear to be mostly working. The Wall Street Journal published a new analysis piece that found data shows the vaccines are working against the delta variant. The report used data from a new United Kingdom study that the vaccines have prevented severe illness from COVID-19 so far.
- “The vaccines are as good as first heralded, even against new variants,” The Wall Street Journal reports. “That unvaccinated people are still being hospitalized underscores the continuing need to get as many people vaccinated as possible.”